This Antique James Newman watercolour box is a stunning example

I believe it would be a difficult job indeed to procure a finer example of its type.


In my forty years of collecting I have never come across a Newman box of these proportions it is really quite rare and if I were to get get carried away I would refer to this box as sweet!


I imagine it was designed to allow it to be carried in the pocket and a very nice box it would have been to have present in the lovely Victorian countryside. Much nicer that the metal boxes in my opinion.


I would suggest that it was made around 1850.


The box is made from a lovely rich Mahogany with some very nice grain which is also unusual.


On opening the box we see a lovely original label which because of being enclosed for so long away from the light is not faded and retains its rich colours.


The original paint tray carries a full set of genuine Victorian paints.


The box also has a very sweet unmarked mixing tray that fits very nicely into the box.

Having not seen another of these boxes I don’t know for sure as to whether or not this would have been present when the box was made. It is however a contemporary of the box and was there when I purchased it do its staying! It has to be said that it would be of great use.


This is a very nice and rare little box


All of these fine wooden watercolour boxes are disappearing all to quickly and this I’m sure is a sound investment.

When I started to collect these things over 40 years ago there were many more around and they were on the whole relatively inexpensive. Since then they have become much scarcer and the prices for them have gone up considerably.

I really can’t see this changing!


A key which is original does work the lock though personally I would not trust it too far! These old locks can be sometimes a bit temperamental! Having said that this one does work very well.


Approx 17 x 11 x 4 cm